SNL's Sarah Sherman Got a Shocking Letter From Gilda Radner's Brother

October 11th will mark the 50th anniversary of the first episode of Saturday Night Live (no matter what the advertising told you about this last season). The special day even falls on a Saturday this year, which makes me question their decision to move up the celebration even more. Imagine how special it would have been to have the big, celebratory show not only on a Saturday—instead of a Sunday—but on the same date it originally aired. Think of the synergy! But alas, we went with the fake anniversary instead.

It’s not like there wasn’t plenty to be happy about. The season’s festivities felt worthy of such a storied show. I’m a bit of a sucker for Saturday Night Live, I will admit, and the show is not without its blemishes (you can’t exist for so long at such a level without having multiple skeletons in your closet). Also, few things age worse than comedy, so it stands to reason that the show has made numerous mistakes over the years. Still, I grinned like an idiot for the entire Anniversary Special and got misty-eyed at most of the video packages.

I get romantic about the legacy of the show and its history, and I’m not even a part of it. I can only imagine what it’s like to be involved, and look at those who came before you. That goes for anyone working on the show in any capacity, but it’s worth noting that Saturday Night Live has had a total of 167 cast members. That’s not many when you consider how long it has been on the air. To be in that group is to breathe rare air. Having a random connection to one of those who came before you can make it even more special.

That is what happened to current cast member and Colin Jost tormentor, Sarah Sherman. Sherman recently revealed that a “crazy coincidence” gave her a direct connection to former cast member Gilda Radner. To say that Radner is held in high regard would be a massive understatement. Not only was she a hit on the show and in her own right, but hearing her contemporaries tell stories about her can be lovely, wistful, and also heartbreaking. She was beloved, and thanks to a SAG mix-up, Sherman found herself connected to the revered comedy star.

“I got a giant envelope in the mail,” Sherman explained on Jesse David Fox’s Good One podcast, “with a handwritten letter that was like, ‘Hey, I’m Gilda Radner’s brother. Weird thing happened where I’ve been receiving all of your residuals checks for the past few months.’” Radner passed away in 1989. How this accident could have happened is beyond me. Sherman is doing an incredible job on the show. People could compare her to Radner (though I don’t know if they are), and it still wouldn’t excuse why her brother was sent money that belonged to a different person. Residuals aren’t usually sent out based on vibes.

Regardless, the situation was very emotional for Sherman, who took it as a sign. “I started, like, hysterically sobbing, obviously,” she recalled. “Because I’m like, ‘Okay, God’s speaking to me right now.’ The fact that my SAG residuals checks had been sent to Gilda Radner’s estate?” It is a pretty insane coincidence, and Sherman texted SNL creator Lorne Michaels about it, saying, “Isn’t this a crazy coincidence? I feel like this is like a miracle … or like a spirit is talking,” which she felt was a “schizophrenic” thing to text. Michaels replied by simply saying, “That’s sweet.”